Surgical bandage.



E.GULACSH I.

SURGICAL BANDAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1914;

1,166,984. Patent-ed Jan/1, 1916.'

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SURGICAL BANDAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedlune 19,.19l4. SerialNo. 846,058.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it KHOWH that I, Es'rnna GULAGSHI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Surgical Bandages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates :to the subject of surgical. bandages, and has particular reference to a novel device of-this character that is specially designed for use as an abdominal support.

For persons afiected with dropsical tendencies or large abdomens due to fat or obesity, a practical support for this portion of the body is a necessity to afford relief from the uncomfortable condition due to the improperly proportioned weight. Many appliances of this type in use employ whale bones or equivalent stifiening means which make them uncomfortable, and resistant to the movements of the body.

Accordingly, the present invention has in view a simple garment-like bandage in which no stays or stiffening means are used,

while at the same time being so constructed as to form an effective support.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the

same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

A. preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which g Figure 1 is a'vi'ew showing the appllcation of the invention including the waist por-.

tion. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred form of abdominal supporter with straps attached. v Fig. 3 isa rear eleva-' tion of. the form shown in Fig. 2, without the straps. Fig. fl is a perspect ve view of a modification of the invention.

proposed to utilize portions of the same in such a manner that the warp threads are subject to thegreatest stress as indicated by the general'direction of the broken lines in the several figures, thereby practically elimithe opposite side sections 1 and 2, which fit Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

over the hips and also extend around the back as indicated at 3 and 4, and around the abdomen as at-5 and 6. The front por tions 5 and 6 of these members are connected by means of an'intermediate gore piece 7 which includes the separate gores 8 and 9' stitched together at their meeting edges, and

members 1 and 2 conform to theside por tions of the abdomen, they are eaeh pro vided in their lower edge with a suitable gusset 10, and for the purpose of 'making' the entire garment fit the body and give the n'opei support thereto, the ends of the back portions 3 and e are connected by means of a flexible draw-string D which renders the side sections readily adjustable, 7

With further reference to the gores S and 9 and sections 1 and 2, it will be observed thatthe warp threads of the former are 1011- gitudinal of the bandage or substantially vertical, as indicated by the dottedlines in Fig.2, while the warp threads of the side sections-1 and 2 are disposed transversely of thebandage. This arrangement prevents undue stretching of the garment in the direction of the supporting stresses.

The reinforcing of the various parts of the structure is further. accomplished by having all of the seams ofth-e gore section 7 covered by pieces of inelastic tape 11, while the edge POIUOH'OIE the entire bandage 1s taped down as at 12; To this same end, each of the side sections 1 and 2 are provided with a centrally arranged and transversely disposed tape strip l3which starts at the outer tape ll of the intermediate gore section, and ends at the rear taped-edge 12 of its respective side section. The back portions 3 and iare also reinforced by a substantially V-shaped tape 14 which has extending forwardly from the top edge of one of the arms of the V, a tape strip 15 which outer tapes 38 extend from the arch 3 crosses the transverse tape 13, at 16, and terminates in the lower taped edge of the side section. A. diagonalside tape 17 is also provided and in addition to connecting the upper and lower taped edges 12, crosses the tape 15 at 16, thus forming a substantial cross brace for this portion of the garment and completing a network of supporting tapes which effectively pr serves the shape f the supporter anoincreases its life, and further provides a comfortable snug-fitting garment that will not chate or bind.

For the purpose of increasing the comfort with which the present device can be worn, the upper edges of the back members 3 and a are each provided with pads P of suitable soft material, which can be best observed from Figs. 2 3 whe ein they are shown by dotted lines.

As will be observed from the several figures of the drawings showing the form of the invention just described, the front portions 5 and 6 have button attaching portions 18 while the back portions 3 and l have similar parts 19, each of which has a suitable button adapted to receive a loop of one of the elastic attaching leg straps 20. The gore section of the bandage carries a plurality of buttons 21 which enable a suitable body or waist W to be detachably fastened to the supporter, so that the same may be used or not, as desired.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the hip sections 29 are connected by an inter mediate gore section 30. The hip sections 29 each include lower strap suspending members 31 which are preferably cut so that their warp threads run longitudinally thereof are provided with depending strap attaching edges 32 in the front, and similar portions in the back. These tab portions 32 and 33 are connected by permanently attached elastic leg straps 3%. Thus, in this form of the device, it is necessary for the wearer to slip the same over the lower limbs and pull it into proper position, adjusting the same after being thus put on. The upper members of the hip section preferably comprise more than one part, each of which is cut so that the warp threads run transversely of the bandage as indicated by the dotted lines, and connect with the front gore section 30 at their front edges.

For the purpose of giving proper strength to the frontgore section 30, the same is provided with a plurality of tapes 36 which radiate from the arched portion 37. The

transversely around the bandage, thereby distributing the supporting stress of the ab domen to the back, while alternate straps of the tapes 36 extend from the arch to the upper edge of the garment, and the other of said strips terminate at a horizontally disposed substantially elliptical tape 39.

In this form of the garment, all of the seams and e "posed edges are stitched down with suitable tape 40 to carry out the same purpose as in the other form, so that it will thus be apparent that a strong and durable construction is provided which has the desirable qualities of a garment possessing bone reinforcing means, while at the same time not possessing the disadvantages thereof.

A further advantage of a bandage of the present construction is that it is more sanitary than the ordinary type, since the absence of metallic or equivalent reinforcing stiffening means permits the entire garment to be washed without danger of rusting the stays or damaging the reinforcing means in the least. Aside from the many other practical advantages previously pointed out, the present device conforms so accurately and neatly to the figure and so effectively supports the enlarged portions that it gives the figure its natural and proper lines. It will also be observed that the back portion of the support is narrow and fits comfort ably in the small of the back, and with its padding provides a comfortable bracing support without any of the inconvenient and uncomfortable features of the long back portions generally found in devices of this character.

I claim:

A bandage of the class described includ ing a plurality of cloth sections having their warp threads arranged to assume the greatest supporting stress, said sections being stitched together at their meeting edges to form opposite non-elastic hip sections, an intermediate gore section located at the front of the bandage and connecting the hip sections, said gore section including a plurality of members, means for adjustably connecting the rear edges of the hip sections, pads also carried by the hip sections, non-elastic tapes cooperating with said gore and hip sections to prevent stretching, and elastic leg attaching straps connecting the front and rear eXtremities of the hip sections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ai'iix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ESTHER GULACSHI.

Witnesses Acnns A. JOHNSTON, J. W. MonARnLLI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

